Honey (note)
Honey (note) is a recognised wine tasting descriptor used to describe aromas and flavours in wine that resemble natural honey. It is part of the wider family of aromatic descriptors and is generally associated with certain grape varieties, sweet wine styles, and specific ageing processes.[1]
Sensory meaning
The honey note is perceived as a sweet, floral, and sometimes waxy aroma, closely linked to the sensory impression of beeswax or nectar. According to Émile Peynaud, such descriptors allow tasters to communicate subtle but distinctive elements in a wine’s aromatic profile, helping to differentiate between styles and levels of maturity.[2]
Occurrence in wines
Honey aromas are commonly encountered in late-harvest and botrytised wines, where the concentration of sugars and aromatic compounds enhances sweet and nectar-like characters. They may also appear in aged white wines, where the development of tertiary aromas can lead to honeyed nuances alongside notes of dried fruit or nuts.[3] Certain grape varieties, such as Sémillon and Furmint, are particularly associated with honeyed aromas when vinified in sweet styles.
Chemical origins
The perception of honey notes has been linked to volatile compounds such as norisoprenoids, terpenes, and phenylacetaldehyde, which contribute sweet and floral characteristics. Sensory studies have shown that these compounds are more pronounced in wines that undergo noble rot or prolonged bottle ageing, processes that modify the chemical composition of the wine’s aroma profile.[4]
Role in wine evaluation
In professional tasting, the honey note can serve as a marker of both style and age. It is valued for the complexity it adds, particularly in sweet and fortified wines, but may also signal oxidative development in some contexts. Its assessment must therefore be considered alongside structure, acidity, and balance to determine whether the character enhances or detracts from wine quality.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015 (entry: honey). ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Peynaud, The Taste of Wine: The Art and Science of Wine Appreciation, Wiley, 1996. ISBN 978-0471113768.
- ↑ Jackson, Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook, 3rd ed., Academic Press, 2016. ISBN 978-0128025444.
- ↑ Etiévant, Le goût et l’odorat dans l’analyse sensorielle des vins, Lavoisier, 1991. ISBN 978-2852067661.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015 (entry: honey). ISBN 978-0198705383.